Chapter 6 - The Colonel Steps Forward
Richard shoved the agreement toward Mara.
“Sign it.”
“No.”
His palm slammed onto the desk.
“Sign it, Mara! You’re lucky we’re taking anything at all!”
Mara recoiled, raising one hand defensively.
“You ignored nine calls while I was in the ICU!”
“We were busy,” Richard snapped. “You survived, didn’t you?”
“That’s enough.”
Colonel Shaw stepped out from behind the gathered staff.
Richard turned sharply.
“This is a private family matter.”
Colonel Shaw approached the desk with a set of medical records.
“No. It is an active fraud investigation.”
Diane looked at Richard.
“You said this was only about the house.”
“Be quiet,” he muttered.
Colonel Shaw placed the first record on the desk.
“This is the hospital’s emergency call log. Nine calls were placed to you while Mara was unconscious.”
She placed down a second document.
“This is the message Mrs. Hale opened at 2:17 in the morning. The message clearly stated that Mara had suffered life-threatening injuries.”
Diane covered her mouth.
Colonel Shaw added a third page.
“This email was sent by Mr. Hale forty-three minutes later. Instead of contacting the hospital, he contacted the contractor’s insurer and falsely claimed to control Mara’s medical and financial decisions.”
Richard stepped back.
“I was protecting my daughter.”
“No,” Colonel Shaw said. “You abandoned your own daughter to die for a payday.”
A murmur passed through the room.
Richard’s attorney closed his briefcase.
Colonel Shaw lifted the final record.
“And I have the records to prove every word.”
Two military investigators entered through the open doorway.
May you like
Richard’s anger vanished.
For the first time, he looked afraid.
